Voices Institute

The DCA’s Voices Institute helps direct care workers, worker association and coalition staff, and other advocates develop their leadership, advocacy, and organizational development skills, so they can advocate more effectively for better direct care jobs.

Voices Institute National Leadership Program

Voices Institute flyer (PDF)

The Direct Care Alliance selects direct care worker leaders for this intensive, week-long retreat, where they learn about advocacy, fundraising, organizational development, message development, and more. The members of the Voices Institute National Leadership Program class of 2009 have already been chosen. This year's program will be held from September 27 through October 3 in Racine, Wisconsin. If you have questions or want more information, contact Voices Institute Coordinator Bridget Siljander.

The first Voices Institute National Leadership Program was held in May 2008. Its graduates have since been changing the world by:

• Testifying before legislators;
• Building relationships with lawmakers to raise their awareness of direct care worker issues;
• Putting on conferences for their worker associations;
• Writing letters to government officials to request better wages and working conditions;
• Raising funds and building membership for their worker associations; and
• Speaking at conferences and other public events.

In addition, two graduates of the 2008 program now work part-time for the DCA as direct care worker specialists and a third is the coordinator of the Voices Institute.

Read more about what Voices Institute National Leadership Program graduates are achieving

Voices Institute Webinars

• Finding your personal sources of power
  Are you ready to step up and help make a difference in your association and workplace?  Worried that you might not have what it takes to lead other direct care workers? This introductory webinar teaches a simple, three-step process to help you overcome your self-doubts and start becoming the leader you can be.
  
• Worker associations and power: strategies for social change
  This session uses real-life examples of worker associations and coalitions to explore the purpose of advocacy and different forms of organizing and advocacy. Learn more effective ways of communicating that respect the sometimes conflicting interests of workers, employers, consumers, and other stakeholders.
  
• Building leaders, building relationships
  Effective social change membership organizations are built through continual leadership development and strong working relationships.  This session takes away the mysteries behind developing effective leaders, building on the experience of workers to identify the skills, qualities, and kinds of relationships needed to make our organizations more effective.
  
• Recruitment
  Workers will join, volunteer and become active in our groups if we know how to recruit them. This session explores the process of getting people to join, getting members to volunteer and helping volunteers become active and effective leaders.  Based on research on best practices and real life examples from current associations, the session offers practical tips and a tool kit for building people power.
  
• Winning your issue campaign
  Changing public policy at the local, state or federal level requires careful planning and strategy. This session covers how to pick, define and clarify your issue, and how to design a campaign plan to win your issue. The session borrows heavily from the Midwest Academy strategy chart, analyzing goals, constituency, allies and opponents, targets, framing your issue, demands, and tactics.
  
• Fundraising and sustainability
  You knew fundraising was essential to building a sustainable social change organization, but did you know it can be fun? This session outlines the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for ongoing fundraising success.  It will also help association leaders plan their organizations individual donor campaigns, going through the needed to find, cultivate and upgrade individual donors.
  
• Coalitions
  Building coalitions requires a shared vision, patience, tenacity, mutual respect, and clarity among all the participants.  This session covers principles of effective coalitions, common obstacles to sustaining coalitions, and strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
  
• Board development           
  Effective associations and coalitions know how to make decisions and inspire commitment and a sense of ownership from members and leaders. This session gives board leaders skills and tools to help them improve their governance practices, explaining the appropriate roles of board members and how to achieve a healthy balance between efficient and inclusive decision-making. It also covers the eight basic responsibilities of good boards.

Contact Leonila Vega for more information.

 
"I recommend this training to any direct care worker who wants to work toward change and is feeling a little overwhelmed at how to go about doing it. The Voices Institute gives you power! "
--Home care worker Helen Hanson, a graduate of the 2008 Voices Institute National Leadership Program and president of Local 771, MSEA-SEIU

“This training has changed my life. I would recommend it to any caregiver who wants to become a leader.”
--Tracy Dudzinski, CNA, a graduate of the 2008 Voices Institute National Leadership Program and a member of the DCA board of directors as of April 2009

 "The attendees were amazing:  all highly motivated, powerful individuals who will surely create a grass-roots movement to change long-term care as we know it."